true true 1 <img src="http://realestate.halogenguides.com/image/show/eclipse-500-exterior-1.jpg" title="Eclipse 500 exterior 1" alt="Eclipse 500 exterior 1"class="floatright"/> Perhaps Vern Raburn&#8217;s decision to [cut off all contact](http://jets.halogenguides.com/articles/1400-smaller-jet-manufacturers-struggling-as-recession-continues) with his former company, [Eclipse Aviation](http://jets.halogenguides.com/companies/eclipse-aviation), was for good reason. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee announced today that it will hear testimony regarding the certification process of the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ). Union whistle-blowers from within the F.A.A. [came forward](http://jets.halogenguides.com/articles/1307-congress-launches-probe-into-alleged-eclipse-certification-irregularities) almost two years ago with claims that there were certain irregularities during the certification process. Apart from a [throttle malfunction](http://realestate.halogenguides.com/archives/1288-eclipse-says-throttle-problem-is-fixed) which forced an Eclipse 500 into a hard landing at Chicago Midway earlier this summer, the plane has a fairly clean accident history. The only other incident involving the plane appears to be the result of pilot error. The union grievance does not seem to call into question the craft&#8217;s air worthiness, but rather whether proper regulations were followed on its path towards certification. Is it possible that Eclipse&#8217;s early arrival into the VLJ market was the result of some sort of preferential treatment on the part of the F.A.A.? That&#8217;s what members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will have to decide on September 17, when union representatives, F.A.A. officials, and Eclipse executives are expected to testify. Eclipse for its part has already broken with its self-imposed media blackout, announced just days ago in response to a bevy of rumors regarding the fate of the company. In a statement today, the company denied any wrongdoing and said it expects to be vindicated. The F.A.A. also announced today that they have been conducting a special certification review (SCR) of the Eclipse 500 since August 11. The Eclipse 500 has the distinction of being the only aircraft to receive a SCR without having been involved in an accident resulting in an injury or fatality. It is believed that the F.A.A. initiated the SCR as a response to an abnormally high number of Service Difficulty Reports sent from Eclipse 500 operators. 2008-08-20T17:20:16Z 1 true 1403 true false 2008-08-20T17:12:00Z true false eclipse-in-hot-water-with-congress-and-the-faa false 0

Eclipse Aviation continues to be a lightning rod for bad news as company executives prepare to testify before Congress over alleged irregularities during its Eclipse 500 FAA certification.

Article 2009-02-07T03:23:15Z 385 8